The present invention is directed in general to light fixtures, and more particularly to adjustable light fixtures that are capable of being expeditiously sized on-site to fit the area of installation, and a method of installing same.
Linear light fixtures are installed in a sequence to extend along a length of an area, such as a room or work station. Typically, the linear light fixtures are sequentially installed beginning from a predetermined starting point. By commencing installation of linear light fixtures at a convenient starting point, several linear light fixtures may be mounted to span at least a majority of the area receiving the lights. However, because the overall length or width of the area receiving the lights is rarely an integer multiple of a single linear light fixture, there is typically a remainder length of the room where a standard-length linear light fixture is not installed. Shadows and dark areas may exist beneath the remainder lengths where uniform illumination is not adequately provided by the standard-length linear light fixtures.
Various light fixtures have been developed in an attempt to create a fixture that can provide uniform illumination in areas such as offices or rooms, for example, of a wide range of sizes. Generally, banks of fluorescent lamps periodically placed along the ceiling have been used for such a purpose. To provide maximum illumination, several lamps were often flush mounted end-to-end in axial alignment. Thus, the lamp sockets that engaged the ends of the fluorescent lamps were often in physical contact with another socket, thereby minimizing the distance between them. However, dark areas or shadows still existed in regions beneath the lamp sockets and beneath areas of the ceiling where a fluorescent lamp was not situated.
In one technology, flourescent lamps were arranged so that an end of one fluorescent lamp overlapped, or extended beyond, an end of another fluorescent lamp. Overlapping the lamps prevented dark areas caused by spaces between the lamps required for objects such as lamp sockets, for example. However, since light fixtures are rigid structures with a length that can not be adjusted to match the dimensions of a particular room, installation of such lamps usually left portions of the room poorly lit. Thus, dark or shadow areas still existed beneath the remaining, unlighted portions of the ceiling, making it difficult to view objects in those areas. Furthermore, the location of furnishings such as a desk in an office, or a reading chair in a sitting room, for example, had to be chosen to avoid such dark areas if alternative lighting options were not available.
Alternative lighting fixtures have been developed to allow the custom installation of fluorescent lamps to more completely illuminate a room. Slidably extending light fixtures can be extended to accommodate fluorescent lamps of different lengths. The extending member is simply extended to an appropriate length to accommodate a fluorescent lamp. However, the overall length of such light fixtures is still constrained by the length of common fluorescent lamps.
Yet another technology developed to provide uniform illumination of a room includes an elongated track that can accept a plurality of individual lights. The lights can be adjusted to a position where enhanced illumination is required along the length of the track. However, the drawback of this technology is that the length of the track is not adjustable. Thus, the overall length of this type of light fixture is no more adaptable to the dimensions of a room than the axial alignment of fluorescent lamps discussed above.
Methods of installing lamps have also been developed to eliminate non-uniform illumination of a room. An example of such a method is the custom fabrication and installation of lighting fixtures according to the particular dimensions of a room on a case-by-case basis. According to this method, the exact dimensions of the area of installation must be measured, typically by a professional installation technician. The measurements must be exact, and must be accurately transmitted to a manufacturing facility where the fixtures are assembled according to the measurements. Custom installation of light fixtures is time consuming considering that the light fixtures can not be fit and assembled on site.
Furthermore, the method of custom installing light fixtures includes several opportunities for the introduction of errors into the method, errors that would lead to large amounts of waste. An erroneously manufactured light fixture must be replaced by a replacement light fixture that must also be fabricated. The erroneously manufactured light fixture is then discarded unless another area of installation requires a light fixture with those same dimensions, which is highly unlikely. And finally, the cost of materials and labor for custom installation of light fixtures often exceeds the benefits derived therefrom.
It would be beneficial to provide a low-cost apparatus and method for producing uniform illumination of a room using standard length fluorescent lamps. The apparatus should be rapidly adjustable to accommodate the specific dimensions of the room at the area of installation without a significant amount of labor or waste.
In accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides an elongate light fixture having an adjustable overall length to fit within the remainder portion of the area receiving lights. The elongate light fixture includes a first piece that includes a first reflector shroud portion and a second piece that includes a second reflector shroud portion. The first and second pieces are coupled to a frame to permit relative movement of the first and second pieces for spacing the first and second pieces at a desired distance apart to provide the desired overall length of the housing arrangement and to provide a space between the first and second pieces. The adjustable-length, elongate light fixture further includes an insert that is trimmable to fit in the space between the first and second pieces.
In accordance with another aspect, the present invention also provides a method of installing an adjustable-length, elongate light fixture, the method including moving a first piece, which includes a first reflector shroud, of a housing arrangement relative to a second piece, which includes a second reflector shroud, of the housing arrangement. The step of moving includes moving the first and second pieces relative to each other and spacing the first and second pieces at a desired distance apart to provide the desired overall length of the housing arrangement. The method further includes trimming an insert to fit in the space between the first and second pieces, and securing the trimmed insert into the space. dr
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates upon reading the following description with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 is an illustrative view of an example of a light fixture in accordance with the present invention installed in a room, wherein the light fixture has been adjusted and installed according to the dimensions of the room, thereby providing uniform illumination;
FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a light fixture and insert in accordance with the present invention, the light fixture being unextended prior to installation;
FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a light fixture and insert in accordance with the present invention, the light fixture being extended to a length that matches the length of an area of installation;
FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a light fixture and an insert in accordance with the present invention, the insert having been trimmed to be compatible with the extended light fixture;
FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a light fixture having a trimmed insert fastened to the light fixture in accordance with the present invention; and
FIG. 6 is another schematic representation of a light fixture and shows a rear member.